Inevitable
by Cherry Mars
Summary: Her life will be taken from her soon. It is inevitable. But she wants just this one thing, just this one person before she ascends to the stars. Ruruna needs this before she goes... Kurama/Other mostly. -Youko and Shuuichi- Full summary inside.
1. Try and Pretend

**fA/N: **Bonjour!! Yeah, this is a Yu Yu Hakusho story. I'm sorry- the Harry Potter one is getting difficult. So I've had this fic in my head since I was ten. This story's got a bit of everything. Romance, Adventure, Action, Mystery, Tragedy... You know. Can you figure this puzzle out?

Summary One: Her life will be taken from her soon. It is inevitable. But she wants just this one thing, just this one person before she ascends to the stars. Ruruna needs this before she goes...

Summary Two: Life is a dance floor. Fate waltzes with us on it. It can take you from wallflower to a dancing queen; it changes the music from slow to fast without warning. And sometimes it makes other people cut in exactly when we're enjoying the dance with that one person. But we must leave the dance of life and go home to rest in death sometime. She danced with him once. Fate cut in. Her night at the dance is about to end, and Ruruna doesn't want to go without dancing with Kurama one more time.

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**Inevitable  
**

Chapter One

**_Present Day_**

Naomi heard them first. Her pointed, elf-like ears could notice anything. Transforming into a small sprite, she went to check it out, and then Micherure and I heard them next. I watched Micherure leap down from her perch and sit at the base of the tree, waiting for the visitors to approach.

As the people followed Naomi's pink, glowing figure, I locked in on their energy.

"Hello," I said. The guys looked up to where I was standing on a large swing, high in the trees. I did not look at them. I didn't need to. Their energy signature was enough for me to know who they were.

"Whoa. Uh, hi." A boy in green scratched his cheek.

"That's Ruthless Ruruna," a redheaded youth narrated. He narrowed his eyes at me. I assumed he had already told them that Naomi was Portentous Papillon.

"See? I told you someone was looking for us," the tiny, pink nymph said. Naomi circled the people several times then transformed into a tall girl. She sparkled, too, with her mulberry-colored hair.

"I know, Naomi-chan," said I, jumping from my swing and standing by Micherure. "You are Urameshi Yusuke. Kuwabara Kazuma. Jaganshi Hiei, and Minamino Shuuichi- oops, sorry, Youko Kurama. Impressive." I knew of them all.

"What are you doing here?" Micherure asked.

"And Merciless Micherure," Kurama whispered again. He remembered us all.

"Ooh, girls, he remembers our names!" Naomi fluttered around them giggling, still sparkling.

"What do you want?" Micherure gripped her claymore, her aura flowing through her orange hair.

"This is a letter from Koenma," Yusuke said, giving me an envelope.

"Koenma-sama?" I opened the letter, and Micherure and Naomi read silently with me.

"Tell him yes," Micherure said. "We'll oblige."

"I rather miss the cities of Ningenkai," Papillon said sadly.

"Okay then," Yusuke said. "We'll just be going now." Merciless Micherure raised her eyebrow.

"You're not going to try and kill us?" She asked.

"No?" Yusuke answered.

"Smart boy," Papillon said. "You'd never win."

"I could beat you any day," the green-clothed boy said. His ego got the best of him.

"You should be quiet," Hiei said. "They could kill you and you wouldn't know until Botan came for you."

"That's ri-ight," Naomi giggled.

"Will you get down from there, Naomi-chan?" Micherure said, looking up at the sky at her friend.

"Sorry." She put her feet on the ground, and instantly, flowers started to grow.

"So, what are you exactly?" Yusuke asked, looking at Naomi. "I mean, you look like a human..."

"I am a butterfly faerie," Naomi replied happily. This explained the plants that sprung from the earth when her feet touched it. "Your friends didn't tell you? Hiei and Kurama?"

"I missed that explanation," Yusuke said. He pointed to Micherure and Ruruna. "And you two?"

"I am a tigress demon," Micherure explained gruffly.

"I'm half tigress," I murmured.

"Yeah, and what's the other half?"

"That's for me to know, and you to find out." I smiled ruefully, thinking of the other half of my genealogy. Before Yusuke could interrogate further, Kurama spoke up.

"What, may I ask, was in the letter Koenma sent?"

"Our queen wishes us to act as her representatives at the Dark Tournament." Naomi furtively glanced at me.

"As soldiers of the Queen's court, we must comply. She has an alliance with King Yama. I suppose she spoke with Koenma about her need for us, and he passed the message along to you." Micherure closed her eyes as she spoke.

"I don't know why _I _had to come along," Hiei said.

"What is she the queen of?" Yusuke asked.

"A great nation."

"Obviously, if she's a queen."

"Sorry, can't tell you." My teeth were clenched, and I could tell that my pupils had changed from green to blood red.

"Is she a demon, like you?" Yusuke seemed oblivious to the fact that my anger was rising.

"No," I growled. "Isn't it time for you to go home?"

"Sure, sure. C'mon guys, let's go. The tournament's in two months." Yusuke turned his back, and so did the others. They left our territory.

"This is gonna be fun," Naomi gushed. "I mean, now we've got to go buy a house in the city, and maybe I can enroll in school. Maybe go to parties!"

"Baka!" Micherure glared. I rolled my eyes.

"Nani?"

"You don't belong in the human world. None of us do. We're only here because the Queen asked us."

"But I like Ningenkai!"

"Micherure, you can stay here. Naomi can find a flat for me and her anywhere she wants." I mediated the bickering.

"Arigatou!" Naomi embraced me. Though she was the oldest, she acted like a child. "Wow! We gotta go shopping! I mean, I can't go anywhere looking like this, can I?"

I snorted. Her purple and plum dress definitely would not blend in with all the other humans.

"I'm worse than you," I said. I was swathed in white, silky cloth. There was no form to it.

"I'm gonna go now." Naomi bounced into faerie form and sang her way through the trees. She left us in the human forest that the Reikai Tantei had found us in. I resumed my place on my swing.

"He smells different," Micherure spoke slowly, breaking our silence. "Not as handsome as he used to be. Prettier, though."

"Hmm."

"He didn't even say hello."

"He didn't need to."

"The King of Thieves!" My friend exclaimed from the ground. "Could never steal anything from us, could he?"

"No."

"Resorted to following us around."

"You and Naomi got tired of it and left," I muttered.

"It was annoying. He only stayed to figure out how to overpower us and take our valuables: my zweihänder, your katars and sais, and Naomi's chakrams. Weakling."

"Leave it alone, Rure-chan."

"I wonder how he got in that human body, anyway."

"Leave it, Micherure."

"Hmph." Micherure propelled herself far up into the trees. She would be going inside the treehouse, no doubt. She left me to think of the memories she had dug up on purpose.

_**

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**_

--Five Hundred Years Earlier--

Five hundred years ago, we lived in the Makai. Naomi, Micherure, and I had been queens of the south, living in the highest luxury demons could have. Lesser demons praised us and brought us food from the human world.

One day as I was walking through the kingdom, I sensed someone's aura. Unfamiliar with this type, I stopped. It stopped.

"You won't fool me," I said into the wind. "I can sense you. Don't try to mask it. I'm too old to be fooled by that." I was already far past two thousand. I had lost count.

"Hmm." I could hear the demon smirk as I pulled out my katars. The ground began to shake tremendously, and a peculiar plant burst through the forest floor, grabbing my foot. After yanking my leg away, I zeroed in on the threat.

"Who are you?"

"The King of Thieves," he answered coolly. He was balanced on the branch of a tree, but I don't think I was supposed to know that. Rose petals fell down from the sky. I found they were as sharp as knives when they nicked a piece of my brown hair; my aura repelled them.

"Really? Well, King of Thieves, tell me what you are going to steal."

"What you are holding." My katars had been wrought from silver, and the blades were diamond-edged, mined from the mountains of the Reikai. They had been a present.

"You'll have to pry them from my hands after I am dead."

"Exactly what I was planning. Raaah!" From his tree, a strange, colossal flower bud stretched rapidly towards me. The bud unfurled, revealing a set of thorny teeth. I did not move my feet, only held up my palm. The death plant pressed its teeth into my hand.

"Better pull away," the Thief laughed. "It'll kill you."

"Your plant is already dead," I sighed, pulling my arm away. The flower fell limp on the ground. The Thief jumped to the floor. I stared at my hand dripping green blood. The drops of it sizzled the grass, leaving nothing but dirt.

"Hmph." I glanced up at the demon. Silver hair, pale pallor, amber eyes, white clothes. With his jaw clenched, he summoned another plant. The vines coiled itself around the demon's arm, forming a sword.

"Did you not do your research before hunting me?" I asked. "I am a tigress demon."

His eyes widened, yet he did not back down from his battle stance.

"All the more challenge," he snarled, stepping forward.

"No. You should stay back," I said, holding up my bloody hand. "My blood is lethal within ten seconds of entering your body. Almost everything dies. It's my body chemistry. I can alter it to be the antidote or the poison. Nothing else. It's what made me what I am. The poison would be fatal for you. Unfortunate that you're not a female. You see, there can only be tigress demons. No... _tigers_."

"Hm. And how are there more of you?"

"I said _almost_ everything dies. If you were a female, you'd live, but you'd be like me."

"Your hand is healed," he said.

"Yes." He charged forward. I turned right at the last moment, and his Fist of the Demonic Vine punched the soft earth; his body floated in the air a moment. At this second, I plunged my knee into his stomach.

"Ugh!" He phased away before I could deliver another blow. Before I could figure his location, the Thief pushed his palm to my stomach, and a shockwave sent me flying.

The katars were thrust from my grasp, landing a few feet away from the tree I had been pressed into.

"Okay," I muttered, "now I'm annoyed." The thief sprinted towards me with his vine sword pulled back ready to jab. Stretching my feet at the last moment, I kicked him away.

"Argh!" He landed on the earth, gasping for air. My katars returned to my hands. With all the force I could muster, I catapulted forward and shoved my right hand to his stomach. The sharp diamond blade pierced the demon, and he let out a deafening shriek of pain.

A crimson puddle of blood quickly cascaded out of his body, staining his ivory robes. I could see the light leaving his eyes as I focused hard on not letting my instincts take over my mind. The blood tempted me.

"Kuso. I went too far..." My weapons phased away, and I picked up the dying Thief.

"Just kill me already," he mumbled.

"Oh, shut up." He passed out.

I sprinted through the forest, holding his body. It grew colder with every second, and I grew more desperate. Something told me that it would be wrong for him to die.

"NAOMI!" I cried. "NAOMI!"

He could be saved, I knew. But I also knew that my demon self knocked on the threshold of my sanity. His blood was tormenting me, and it would torment Micherure too, if Naomi did not find me first. Micherure would never hold back her fury.

"Give him to me! Let him go!" Naomi ripped the Thief's body away from me, pulling him inside our home. She barred the doors and windows, knowing I could kill him.

I, however, could see my limits and Naomi could not. I was not at the breaking point.

Uneasy and weary, I licked the blood off the back of my hand to satiate my hunger, wondering if Naomi could mend my mistakes.

-

"Ugh..." The Thief stirred.

"Good morning," I said. I sat patiently. "You're at the house of the Treacherous Three."

"You didn't kill me."

"No."

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Just a day. Naomi's healing powers are amazingly swift."

"The pink-haired imp?"

"Haha, don't call her an imp. She'll forget to change your bandages. What's your name?"

"What's yours?"

"They call me Ruthless Ruruna. The person who healed you, they call her Portentous Papillon."

"Youko Kurama."

"Oh. I have heard of you then. You're not as mediocre as I thought. The Kitsune Thief, they say."

"Hmph." He tried to pick himself up.

"Don't." I pushed him back down. "You're not well."

"I'm well enough."

"You have a giant hole in your belly."

"For which you are to blame."

"I apologize. I try not to do that. My instincts get the better of me. But you'll be okay."

"Your eyes are blue," he commented. "They were green."

"They change color with my emotions," I explained. "How did you hear of my weapons?"

"From one of my followers," Youko Kurama replied. "It is said that anyone who sees the diamond blades doesn't live to spin stories of it."

"Illogical. If no one lives to tell of it, then why do people know?"

"Exactly my thoughts. I told them that if I can see it, then I can steal it."

"Nice policy, but you won't get to steal them. Sorry. The katars were a gift. You'd have to be pretty crafty clever to steal anything from here."

"I'm cleverer than you think."

"I believe you. Your eyes say so. ... Nice power you have, by the way, controlling plants."

"Hmm." He closed his eyes.

"Are you calculating a way to plunder from us while we sleep? How will you do that? If you draw blood from me, you're good as dead. I mean, your best option is to rest until you can go home."

"It's not how, it's what."

"Oh?"

"What I shall take. But rest assured, I will take something."

Days passed, and he still stayed. Naomi told him his body would forever be weak in the area I slashed, and to be careful. Micherure watched him from the sidelines, mistrustful of his intentions. Eventually both she and Naomi moved on, removing themselves from the throne of Ganderra. I stayed. Youko Kurama stayed. Days turned into months.

"You won't learn any secrets from me," I said one evening. I sat at a round table, playing a card game.

"I'm trying to figure some things out, and I won't leave until I do- why are you surprised?"

"You never speak." It was true. He never uttered any words. I had come to know him purely by body language. I would talk to him, and it would be as if I talked to a statue. Aside from the occasional "hmm," of course.

"I had no reason to converse with you." He shrugged and continued. "Why did you save me?"

"Something inside beckoned me to carry you to Naomi. I don't know what it was. My conscience, maybe."

"Ha." He left the subject alone. "You said that there are only female demons of your kind. I gathered from Micherure-dono that you have to be bitten to convert what you both are. The liquid in your fangs is the same poison found in your blood."

"True."

"I know that Micherure was a human before she was bitten."

"Yes."

"But what were you?"

"Haha. Real puzzler, isn't it?"

"You weren't a demon."

"No, I wasn't."

"And you were not a human. You have the power to separate yourself from your demon instincts. Micherure does not. There is no human left in her. That is remarkable. They say the willpower of a human is quite enduring."

"Right." I shuffled the cards.

"Why aren't there more tigress demons?" I shrugged.

"The Reikai eliminates any sign of them, last I heard."

"So I can only deduce that you and Micherure are exceptions."

"We are anomalies in the judgment of King Enma. Most others are vanquished before their true powers are realized."

"Who, may I ask, transformed you into the ruthless beast you are today?"

"...Micherure."

"Truly? That is enlightening. I'm assuming it was an unfortunate mishap." I frowned and decided to steer this conversation elsewhere; his voice was too cool and comfortable as he tread into deep waters. I stowed the cards and took a seat across from the Youko.

"Your race isn't something you come across every day either. Silver Kitsune?"

"So I have heard. But I wouldn't know. My mother abandoned me shortly after my birth."

"Wow, revealing your past. You have said nary a thing, and now you entrust me with your origin?" He folded his long fingers together and placed them in his lap, sighing and closing his eyes.

"I have not. I merely stated a fact. You know nothing of me."

"And you know not of me, Kurama-sama. All you know is that I-" I counted the things he knew on my fingers- "am a half-tigress, have been alive for thousands of years, am gifted in the ways of katars and sais, and that is all... all of importance, anyway."

"True." I cupped my chin in my palm.

"Don't think I didn't do my homework on you. King of Bandits, of Thieves. The Pillaging Prince, the Kitsune Thief. The masses speak of your name in hushed tones. Kurama-sama, you quest for glory and territory and riches. You appear in the dead of night, taking what you need. No apparition knows what hit him afterwards. Many bandits are eager to follow you, to gain your favor and achieve your status. But the funny thing is you're supposed to be cruel and heartless. But all you've done in my palace is trifle. You just look like a silly demon boy, lost, without his friends or home. I suppose appearances are veils, though, masking what you really are. Once you find what you seek here, you'll leave and retain your steely, handsome exterior. Why not kill me in my sleep? Why not poison my food or drink with some plant from some far-off place?"

"I see no use for that. If I had wanted to assassinate you, don't you think it would have been done? If I had chosen that, more bounty hunters would be in business, since my head would be worth my weight in gold. Besides, I would be ridding this city of a capable ruler. You tend to the City of Ganderra like a mother to her pups."

"Who else would? Until I find a suitable successor, I will not leave it. At least, not within the next century."

"Oh? What do you intend to do after this?"

"Don't know. Maybe become a bandit like you?" I smiled. A smirk formed on his face. "Is that emotion I see on your face?"

"Hmph, right. And why wouldn't you go on being the ruler?" His smirk widened. "You're lying about not knowing where your path will lead you next."

"True. But you won't get that piece of information, not until you can tell me what I am." I stuck out my tongue jokingly.

"Hmph." And he went silent once more.

* * *

--_**Present Day--**_

Just as Naomi had moved the both of us in, the Dark Tournament requested our presence. Therefore, the butterfly girl filled my suitcase with newly-bought human clothes, and Micherure hired a helicopter pilot to fly us to Hanging Neck Island. We arrived at Hotel Kubikukuri and unpacked, but not without bickering.

Naomi and Micherure debated with each other as I folded my clothes. All three of us were in our human forms.

"I refuse to stay here. The letter- it only asked that Ruruna come."

"And the Queen asked us to stick to her like glue!" Naomi countered. "Besides, you've got to be bored as hell with being in that stupid treehouse. I know I am."

"You're both staying," I ended the argument.

"Nyahh!" Naomi contorted her face into a silly visage at Micherure and scampered into the bathroom.

"If she keeps doing that, I'm going to coax her into faerie form and trap her in a jar and put it in the freezer." Micherure massaged her temples and I rolled my eyes for what could have quite possibly been the hundredth time that day. My tigress counterpart retreated into her room, preferring to meditate, and Naomi came out of the bathroom in a golden gown.

"I'm going out to schmooze with the rich people."

"Don't stay out too late."

"I won't be gone long." Naomi left.

"Right, but you'll come back drunk," I muttered. Several moments after her, I departed the hotel room. I walked around aimlessly on our floor before finding a man who bore the Hotel Kubikukuri attire.

"Excuse me." I tapped him on the shoulder, removing him from his thoughts. "Do you know where I could find Team Urameshi?"

"Er, yeah. Take a left and all the way at the end. I just finished serving them coffee."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." I set on the route he had told me, passing a child and a man with a low amount of energy. I reminded myself that many, many demons would be here. Finally, I came to the door and knocked on it.

"Finally someone who knocks- whoa!" Kuwabara answered the door.

"Hello, Kuwabara-san!" I waved, smiling.

"Um, hi." He allowed me to enter their room. The decorations were of the same caliber as ours.

"What do you want?" Hiei asked.

"To wish you all luck." I lightly pushed Kuwabara aside and addressed Hiei with my eyes.

"Hn."

"What? I'm not a fighter in the tournament, and I'm sure not rooting for Toguro or anyone else." I frowned and looked around, my eyes resting on a broken teacup. "Oh, I'm not your only visitor. Team Rokuyoukai has visited you. I hope they haven't shaken you up."

"Nothing can shake me, heh!" Kuwabara put his fists on his hips in a triumphant stature. I smiled broadly at his confidence.

"You were as bewildered as a child in a candy store," Hiei scoffed.

"Shut up, shrimp." My eyes traveled across the room, looking at the five fighters. Yusuke slept on the couch.

"Nice to see you three are doing well. And Yusuke." I continued to the redhead. "And you, Kurama-sama?"

"Well, Ruruna-dono."

"Do you two know each other or something?" Kuwabara asked. I continued to grin.

"He used to be my pupil, I suppose, a long time ago."

"Huh." Kuwabara began to laugh. "That's funny, Kurama takin' orders from a girl."

"Don't underestimate me." My tone joked with him, but I was serious. Kuwabara blinked, scratching his nose as he examined me.

"You're... Kinda creepy. But I dunno why yet. I'm missin' something."

"Quit staring at me. Eyes make me nervous."

"Hn. I'm going to bed. Wake me when it's time to fight." Hiei walked off into one of the rooms. The Masked Fighter stepped off into her own room. Her stance and garb were similar to a woman I knew as Genkai; the energy felt the same as well. Kuwabara took cues from his teammates and left. Yusuke yawned and rolled over.

"So..." I twiddled my thumbs. "I see you're livin' it up in your human body." Kurama gave a small smile.

"Yes," he said. I walked in a circle around Kurama, inspecting him. I feigned a stern face.

"It's got its limits. Do you really think you'll win the tournament like this, Kurama-sama?"

"I do not know what I am up against yet," he replied.

"Find out quick. The Dark Tournament is no place for you to fool around." I softened. "But I know from experience that you're a fast learner, and even quicker at putting strategies into action. It's a strength of yours. ... This human thing is a great look for you, Kurama-sama."

"Thank you. I do not regret my choice of staying in Ningenkai."

"I know. See you tomorrow." I bounced to the door, not letting Kurama see my eyes change from emerald to sapphire. "Good luck."

"Thank you."

"Sheesh, Shuuichi-san, you're so polite. Your mother must be proud."

"Good night, Ruruna-dono."

"G'night. Sleep tight." I took my leave, but not before hearing a small comment.

"Kurama, you fox," Yusuke murmured in his sleep. I closed the door behind me, smiling.


	2. To Fall In Love

A/N: You know, I wrote this entire story in third person before thinking "oh, no, I want it in first." It's funny looking at the third person and comparing it with first. It's also extremely annoying to write all of it over when you've got it done.

The story goes fast because the Dark Tournament isn't... Quite important in the story.

Ah, looks like we'll have to up the rating.

Um, if you recognize a certain name in this, it wasn't with _Sailor Moon: Hearts In Ice _in mind. Though I love Sailor Moon, the name happened to be a coincidence. If you have no idea what I mean, carry on!

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Inevitable

Chapter Two

_**Present Day**_

I like watching brawls between fighters. I like to be as close as I can, so I can smell their energy radiating off of them. But I only _love_ watching brawls when the fighters have depth, deftness, and daring. And I adore when fighters have that certain spark. These two fighters in the ring now definitely had that spark.

Naomi and Micherure looked on from Koenma's box, eating snacks. I, however, sat on the ledge that separated the teams from the spectators.

The Knife-Edge Death Match had begun. Yusuke, who I personally wanted to succeed, threw punch after knuckle-busting punch at Chu. Chu returned the favors equally. I was mesmerized, as were many.

Sometimes, one can only know another person by feeling their punches, by communicating through their fists. The way a person fights says much about their personality.

"Hey! LITTLE GIRL!" A voice pulled me from my thoughts. "MOVE OUT OF THE WAY, WE CAN'T SEE!"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" I turned around, glaring. "I'm trying to watch the fight. That's my friend down there. If you don't shut your mouth, I'll rip off your head and eat you for dinner!" That wasn't entirely a lie.

"Yes, ma'am." The ugly, horned demon settled down, and I continued being enthralled with the dance of fists.

"Oh, head-butt," I whispered. "Definitely the finishing move." I held my breath.

"The winner is Yusuke Urameshi!" The announcer-girl Koto cried. Gasping for air, I slipped down from my roost onto the grass and ran towards the victorious team.

"Ruruna, I didn't know you were watching the fight," Botan murmured.

"Of course I was! Why else would I be here? Yusuke, you were amazing!"

"Thanks." He flashed a smile.

"Such focus. I've never seen a human fight like you before!" I clapped. "I know, let's go eat! It's on me."

"Great! I think I found my new best friend," Yusuke joked. "I'm starved."

-

"You're a lot different than I thought you'd be," mused Yusuke.

"How'd you think I'd be?" I asked, sipping my soda.

"More like him." He pointed towards Hiei.

"No?"

"Toldja there was something weird about her," Kuwabara muttered.

"So, I take it you're a fighter with those arms." Yusuke gestured at me. "Why aren't you in the tournament?"

"Not to sound egotistical or anything, but, to tell the truth, there's nothing to be gained by me butchering you all. I mean, it'd be great fighting Toguro or something. But even if I was in the tourney, I'd lose. It's fixed."

"How d'you know that?" Yusuke asked. "I almost got my ass kicked out there."

"Trust me. The only reason you're here is to fight Toguro."

"She's right," Kurama said. "Toguro wants to fight you more than you know, Yusuke."

"Let's play cards." I produced a deck from my pocket. "What d'you wanna play?"

"Hmm. You always did like cards," commented Kurama.

"Let's play bullshit. I'll deal." Yusuke took the cards from me. "You two know each other?"

"Back in the Makai," I replied. "That was what? Five hundred and fifty years ago?"

"Almost."

"Wow. You look good for five hundred something, Ruruna." Yusuke looked me over.

"Haha! I'm older. I actually don't remember my age."

"You're three thousand, nine hundred and ninety-six," Naomi said, counting on her fingers. "At least, I'm going on Micherure's age. She's just twenty years older than you. And I'm sev-"

"That's enough, Naomi-chan, you're making me feel old..." I sorted my cards.

"You _are_ old," Kurama said.

"Thanks, thanks a lot."

"Two aces." Botan put down her cards.

"I wonder what the other teams are doing right now," pondered Kuwabara.

"So do I." Yusuke looked out the window.

--

I had a bad feeling as soon as the committee decided to have Urameshi's team fight two teams in a row. Due to this feeling, I jumped down to the grass to offer encouragement while Kurama explained to Yusuke that the third team they must face used Team Masho as a pseudonym, and that their true title was the Shinobi of the Spirit World.

"Be careful," I warned. Suddenly, a bulletin appeared, asking that the team be checked out by a doctor. "And here comes the part I hate..."

A woman clad in nurse's garb walked out of the doctor's tent. Her energy did not comfort me. Within a few minutes, my feeling got worse as I saw Hiei and the person I now knew officially as Genkai trapped in the medical tent.

Moments passed, and I could see the gears in Kurama's head turning as his eyes darted over the five members of Team Masho.

"I know what you're thinking," I said. "You've got to win three."

"Right." Kurama took his place in the ring alongside Gama, Master of Disguise. I bit down on my lip, wondering what would happen.

The paint of Gama found its way onto Kurama within five minutes. I did not like where the match was going. Kurama could barely use his left leg, as he dragged it across the ring. His nimbleness decreased drastically; the paint held down all his limbs.

"KURAMA!" Yusuke and I bellowed. But it was no use- the painter danced around him, laughing. And suddenly, the battle changed. Because his neck was free, Kurama was able to use a rosewhip by connecting it to his hair. Gama was sliced into pieces immediately, but had not been killed.

"YEAH!"

"WAY TO GO, KURAMA!" Gama painfully trodded over to Kurama, smiling. I frowned. The Master of Disguise moved strangely while Kurama spoke with him. I dashed to a different vantage point; I understood why Gama felt so confident.

"KURAMA, KURAMA, YOUR CLOTHES!" He was too into the match to hear me, and the deafening chants of the audience did not help. The crowd quieted when they saw Gama fall and Koto began to speak.

"That was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!" She began the count. From where he lay, Gama began to laugh and explained the thing I had been trying to convey. The Makeup of the Seal.

"I don't like this," Yusuke cried. Gama died, and Touya the Ice Master took his place, announcing that Gama would not die in vain.

"He needs to get out of there," I whispered. But that was not to be. The second fight took place. Everything went cold, and Kurama regained the power to move.

"What's happening in there?!" Yusuke was frustrated.

"From what I can hear, Touya's very, very intelligent. He can match wits with Kurama." As we spoke, Kurama took multiple hits from ice attacks, trying desperately to dodge, but to no avail.

"Damn."

"Kurama thinks he can cancel out Gama's seal by using his blood to counter it... But that won't be enough blood to beat Touya."

"Augh! That means he'd have to use all the blood he has to beat him!"

"Right."

"What're his options, then?"

"... You don't want to know."

"DAMMIT! KURAMA, JUST STAY DOWN AND I'LL GET HIM!!"

"He won't do that, Yusuke."

"I know..."

"Wow, people, Touya's created a sword out of ice! It's the barbaric finish we've been waiting for!"

"KURAMA!" Yusuke feared for his friend's life. I did too. Blood dripped from his body, mixing with Gama's paint.

"Kurama... I know what you're going to do, but I wish you'd just accept defeat..." I sniffled. The Ice Master chased Kurama around the ring with his ice sword, and Kurama dodged to the best of his ability. Finally, Kurama began to make his move. I held my breath again.

"TELL FOX GIRL YOU GIVE UP! I SWEAR I'LL TAKE IT FROM HERE." Kurama looked to be losing as he fell to the ground with a gash in his arm. Yusuke yelled at him. But I knew all the options Kurama had. I didn't think I wanted to actually see the outcome, though.

"Let me do what I must, Yusuke," Kurama said. Yusuke stared at him with wide eyes, as did I. My eyes began to water, and Kurama resumed the fight.

At what Touya intended to be the last blow, plant shoots flew out of Kurama's body and into Touya's stomach. Touya fell.

"What?" The boy I stood beside was puzzled.

"He put... the Death Plant into his body..."

"Now I'll take the next one!" Yusuke smirked.

"No, no look!!" I ran to the edge of the ring.

"KURAMA!"

"Wait, people, Kurama still has a faint heartbeat. It appears he's slipped into unconsciousness while he's still on his feet!!"

"Okay, let's take him out the ring." Yusuke was ready to get Kurama out of there, but the next fighter of Team Masho stepped up. He claimed that because Kurama stood in the ring, he could fight.

"NO! I'M TAKING THIS ONE!"

"It's... fixed..." I whispered to myself. "Kurama..." For the first time in a while, I began to cry, looking at Kurama's bloody and beaten body. I didn't even hear the announcement that Kurama would indeed fight Bakken.

"That's a buncha shit," cried Yusuke. "HE ISN'T EVEN CONSCIOUS!!"

"KURAMA! WAKE UP!" I screamed. Bakken planted a right hook onto Kurama's sleeping face. Punch after bone-breaking punch, Bakken pummeled the redhead's fragile, human body.

"Th-this is unf-f-fairrr!!" I sobbed. The undignified brute, with Kurama in his grasp, pulled his arm back to deliver another blow.

"Bakken, stop!" The team leader called out.

"But why, Risho?"

"Lay him outside of the ring."

"Huh? He killed our friends!"

"Yes, and you would've been killed too." Bakken looked behind him, at Yusuke. I looked to my right at Team Urameshi's leader. He had his Reigan aimed for the oversized demon.

"Fine, take your precious buddy!" He hurtled Kurama's worn body towards our side.

"AH!" I sprinted over to catch him. With Yusuke's help, I carried him to a safe place and sat next to him.

"He'll be alright," I assured Yusuke. "Just go get him. He has no honor."

"Right." Yusuke ran off.

"How're you?" I looked at the person I cradled in my hands.

"I'll live. The Death Plant is going to take a lot of concentration to get rid of."

"I'm sure."

"Are you- Were you, er, crying?"

"Of course I was. You almost died. Yusuke would've cried too if you died." I sighed and slowly continued, "Why'd you leave back then?"

"I had found everything I wanted, so it was time for me to go."

"So you figured out what I am?"

"No. But I did observe two things."

"Which were?"

"You're old."

"Duh. You're old too, in theory."

"No. You're old, but you don't get older. Your body seems like it's in suspended animation. Demons are known for longevity, but all demons I know of look mature by the age you are. You do not. Therefore, I supposed you had made a soul pact of some sort."

"You're clever, Kurama-sama. But I didn't make a soul pact."

"Oh?" We sat in silence, watching Yusuke pummel Bakken into the crowd.

"Got any other ideas for my youthful appearance?" I asked.

"No."

"My body stopped growing at the age of seventeen. That's all I'll say."

"Kind of you to give me information, but I did not say what the other thing I knew was."

"Tell me."

"I believe you received that bite from Micherure when you were an infant."

"Yes. But it is not Tigress poison that stopped my age progression. My... mother is the same way."

"Is? She's still alive?"

"Yes."

"Impressive. Anything else you'll tell me?"

"No. Figure it out for yourself." The wind picked up, and Yusuke began his bout with the fourth member of Team Masho. "Oh, so that's Jin."

"Jin the Wind Master, yes. Do you know him?"

"He battled Naomi once."

"Who was the victor?"

"Jin."

"What?"

"Precisely what I said. He would be one of only two people to defeat the Portentous Papillon. But I suppose it's because he controls the wind. Naomi's power comes from her voice. She sings while she fights. He can suck the air out of her lungs with a tornado once he gets going. And Naomi has a butterfly's wings, and can't take strong breezes, let alone gale force winds," I explained. "Which is why she now uses chakrams as her weapon. She used to use a ring sword, but Jin could control wind, so when she threw it like a Frisbee, he could manipulate it. Chakrams cannot be deviated by the wind."

"What will happen when Naomi sees the person who defeated her?"

"She's completely in love with him." I began to laugh. "It's why she's hesitant to fight him again."

"I can find no sense in that."

"They fought for hours, Kurama-sama. Speaking with fists, touching someone through pain. You have never fought with just your skin, so you would not know."

"Hm."

"He was the only person whose hits resonated in her."

"Does he know that?"

"She's... shy." Kurama began to chuckle.

"I can't think of Naomi being shy. The very first time I ever met her as Youko, she told me that I was one of the most handsome demons she'd ever met."

"Yeah, well, she isn't head-over-heels for you. You shouldn't exert yourself by laughing or talking anymore. Concentrate on getting that stupid plant out of your system."

"Of course." He directed his attention to the match.

* * *

--_**Five Hundred Years Earlier--**_

Steam wafted upwards towards the heavens as the water rushed downward to the earth. The hot springs in Ganderra were legendary for their healing powers, and I had the privilege of bathing in them. Located in a large cave, the springs were only accessible through one opening.

Though the baths were supposed to soothe me, I felt somewhat uneasy, like I was being watched. Eyes always made me nervous. I couldn't hear anything, though, due to the waterfall, and the sulfur in the water filled my nostrils so I could not distinguish smells. And the steam decreased visibility. I tried to push these thoughts from my mind, but when I heard a splash, I stood up.

"... Are you... watching me?" I called out.

"No. I have more honor than that. I knew not you were here- I thought the springs would be vacated this time of night."

"K-Kurama-sama?" I grabbed my towel, wrapping it around me protectively.

"If you wish me to leave, I will."

"N-no... You just startled me, is all."

"Oh." I turned, facing the waterfall and adjusted the towel.

"You have strange markings on your back," Kurama said. "They don't go with the other markings on your body. Almost like they were etched into your skin."

"You _are_ watching me."

"What are they?"

"Wings," I replied. I thought it strange that he did not know. Then again, my dark hair did cover my back normally. It was pinned to my head now.

"Tigers have wings?"

"No. The other half of me does."

"Oh." I sat on one of the rocks the water, as he took a seat across from me, near the entrance.

"So... how are you?" I asked. The silence unsettled me.

"Peachy."

"Kurama-sama?" He looked my way. "Never mind. I think I'm going back now." With a towel over him, Kurama stood as I edged my way over to the opening of the cave. I didn't pay any attention to his actions, figuring that he, too, was leaving the hot springs. Delving into my thoughts, I allowed my legs to lead me down the short, wooded path to the side door of the house. Eventually, I entered my room.

"You really can be unwary," said Kurama, startling me. He sat in my room, wearing his normal clothes.

"You can be bold."

"Why do you take the long way to your room?" He asked. "You seemed to walk through every hallway murmuring gibberish to yourself before coming in here. You could've been attacked."

"By who?"

"Naturally, I could have."

"That would have been a stupid thing to do." I sighed, moving into the next room and closing the sliding doors. I talked to him as I dressed. "I didn't notice where I was going. I just walked."

"The people of your city leave you to your devices. You have no servants, no handmaids, no nothing."

"Of course not. I don't need them. I don't want to have the denizens of this city doing frivolous things for me when they could be building up. I have a dream for them- they could be the greatest kingdom with tall buildings and money for all."

"How quixotic, poetic."

"So are you, when you decide to talk. Why so eager to speak today, Kurama-sama?" He did not answer. I slid the door open, and my eyes met Kurama's torso, as he blocked the doorframe. I had not even heard a sound from him, let alone his movement to the front of the door. I slowly looked up.

"Excuse me," I said. He still stood. "Any moment you choose, you can move out of the way." He glanced down at me with a strange glint in his eyes and placed his hands on my arms.

"I noticed something about your fighting style," he mused. "That your one weakness is brute strength. You're strong, but still delicate like a woman. Docile, too, actually. Your only hope would be to fight arm's length away, and if they get too close, you'd use energy to repel them. But you won't do that to me, not now."

"Let me go." However, he was right- his grip was like a vice. His legs were apart; I couldn't use his weight against him by swaying him to the side. Almost two feet separated his face from mine. That eliminated a head-butt.

"No struggles?"

"Your claws are digging into my arms."

"I won't make you bleed."

"If you did, you'd be good as dead." I wanted to use my legs, but he was pushing me down. Picking up my feet would do nothing. I couldn't kick him- we were too close. And I did not want to burn his fingers with my aura, or use my shockwave fists. The strength of that attack was fused with my anger, and I was fuming; the force of it would amputate a limb or severely injure him.

"Hurry, Ruruna-dono, try something."

"Checkmate, I get it. Now let me go."

"So you're helpless."

"Sure, if you want to call it hat." What he did next surprised me.

After taking a step back, the Kitsune's lips crashed onto mine. I resisted it for a moment, but something made me relax and let him take over. I loosened my lips, and his tongue traveled inside, touching mine. He pulled back, preferring to move to my ears.

"I moved; you can kick me to make me release you now," whispered Kurama. True, his vice grip had not been removed and I could swiftly kick his knee and break his kneecaps. His mouth moved to my neck, kissing and grazing his teeth against my flesh. A moan escaped from me. I felt his lips turn up into a smile; Kurama loosened his grasp on me.

"You shouldn't get attached to people who could kill you," he said huskily. "I mean, Kami knows I could have knocked you out and-"

"Shut up and kiss me, you bastard."

"Forceful," he murmured into my hair. My hands wrapped around his neck as our lips meshed again. Oh, how sweet his lips were; I barely noticed Kurama half-carry, half-pull me to my bed.

That night, and for many nights after, was pure ecstasy.

-

It wasn't very long until I admitted to myself that I loved him. Of course, I never confessed this to him. We were both promiscuous apparitions who had taken up a number of paramours and submitted ourselves to firelight and bedroom trysts. And the love I had wasn't fleeting infatuation either. The reflection of his soul through his amber eyes wrapped around my heart; Kurama could probably make me do anything. His cool touches ignited passion, a passion that could blaze for days and probably would never quit smoldering. His voice tickled my ears, making my legs weak.

He never said he loved me. I fooled myself into thinking he did. My mind, when I wasn't drunk from his intoxicating presence, mused over the fact that he probably had done this to many others, both male and female, and that I wouldn't be the last. Every impulse of my brain repelled him, but every fiber of my body craved him. I thought over and over about how I was being used and how he would toss me away like the calculating criminal he was. But I wanted him. And I wanted him forever, not like the other short-lived and mildly fascinating partners. However, I could not make him _mine_, not unless he made me his first.

"Stop teasing," I murmured. His tongue lightly trailed my collarbone. It was almost a year since we had first met in the woods.

"Teasing?"

"Just bite me already. Mark me yours." He pulled up.

"Why would I do that?" That was an icy blow to my heart.

"Haven't you done that to hundreds of others?"

"I'm not _that_ immoral."

"You don't have a mate?"

"No. Do you?"

"No. Even if I tried to mark someone, my instincts would take over and I would kill them," I said.

"How do you know that if you haven't tried?" I quickly dissmissed that question.

"And I don't feel safe giving someone the antidote to my poison."

"Then don't ask me to mark you." Kurama moved away from me to his side of the bed and sighed. "I have never marked anyone. Why would you be different?"

"You like life as a bachelor?"

"It's an interesting medley of events. You like life as a maid?"

"Many can be afraid of me."

"You are no different from a rose." One appeared in his hands. He smiled at it with satisfaction, then stationed it in front of my face. "Beautiful, no doubt. Can be used in a variety of ways. Food, rituals, ascetic value. But it's also quite perilous, with its thorns. And if you add demon energy, it can become lethal. Funny, in a way. Something so beautiful..."

"And so evil."

"Yes." I sighed as he placed the flower in my hands. "Do you use them very much in your fighting?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I never have a need for roses," he said simply, closing his eyes.

"Oh." He eventually fell into slumber, and I watched him as he dreamed, tracing circles in his skin with my fingertips. It hurt a lot. He had no need for roses. I wondered if that had a dual meaning. If his comparison of me to a beautiful, perilous rose stretched to include the description an unneeded object.

"Dammit, Kurama-sama, you're so unfair." I never usually cried. This was probably the third time I shed tears, including the incident with me almost killing the Kitsune. I didn't cry very many tears this time. Only three.

The Silver Bandit looked so beautiful, swimming through his dreams. So peaceful. He always did.

* * *

--_**Present Day**_--

"Why is Hiei acting so funny?" Naomi asked, flying in. "I asked him about his arm and he didn't ask me to piss off."

"His long-lost sister is here," Kurama explained. "We're not supposed to tell her he's her twin."

"Yukina-chan?" I asked. "That's the reason they've got the same eyes. Wait, does Kuwabara know?" He'd tripped and fallen himself into love.

"No... Hiei doesn't want Yukina to know... It's a bit of a secret."

"Oh, I like secrets! Cookies?" Naomi put a basket in front of Kurama. "Yusuke likes them." Kurama bit into one.

"They're delicious."

"Thanks! I made them myself!"

"Why... are there random rose seeds on the table?" I asked, putting my plate on the coffee table.

"They're mine." Kurama picked the seeds up.

"You use them now?"

"The demon energy trapped in my body profits from the fact that they are easy to use as a weapon."

"He uses his rosewhip a lot," Micherure added, crossing the width of the room. "I watched his training with Hiei and Kuwabara. Is Kuwabara always an idiot?"

"I prefer the phrase 'slow to catch on,'" Kurama smiled.

"What is that noise?" Naomi asked.

"Sounds like a lot of laughter," Kurama said. The butterfly hovered over to the door and opened it.

"Yusuke! You have a blue whatchadoodlebob on your head! Get it off before it lays eggs and the babies hatch and crawl into your ears and burrow into your brain and kill you!!" Naomi said this all in one hurried, anxious breath, running out into the hall; I followed her. Her comment ignited another chorus of laughter.

"It's not funny!" Naomi countered. "My cousin had a watchadoodlebob in his hair once! At least, I think my cousin is a he..."

"It's not a whatcham-whatever. It's my spirit beast," he said wearily. I looked at his head.

"Puu." The blue spirit beast cocked his head to the side.

"Aw, it's sooo cute!" I pet the little blue buddy. "Is this what your soul looks like?"

"How wonderful!" Naomi snatched it off his head and started to hug it. "Aw, your soul is so fuzzy and harmless!"

"Thanks... At least you're not laughing like they are." He jabbed his thumb at Botan and Koenma.

"It's not laughable! It's kawaii!" Naomi squished it.

"They think that because I'm tough I can't have a nice soul."

"But you're not a bad person..." I said.

"Thank you. HEAR THAT, TODDLER BREATH! THEY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THE STUPID BLUE THING ISN'T BIG ENOUGH TO BITE MY DAMN HEAD OFF!" He stomped away, and Puu followed.

"That was special," Kurama said, now in the hall. "See you. I have business to attend to."

"Bye."

"Buh-bye!" Naomi waved.

"I'm gonna take a walk, Naomi-chan."

"Okay. What do you want me 'n Rure-chan to do?"

"I don't know. Play videogames, eat, whatever you want to do."

"Yes!" Naomi flew back into our suite and opened the window, jumping out. "KAREOKEEEE!"

"So retarded," Micherure muttered, standing in the doorway. "She doesn't even detect that some parts of this island reek with _his _stench."

"So you noticed." I sighed. "You can't protect me, Rure-chan, not from _him_. Your orders from the Queen say not to."

"I know, but I do abide by your wishes, and I hate that bastard."

"Stay at the hotel. I'm going for a walk."

"Are you sure you'll be okay? I mean, _he_ can be quite... Forceful." She narrowed her eyes.

"I can take care of myself. If I'm not back in three hours, I give you permission to kill if you see _him_."

"Okay."

The sun had dipped below the sea by the time I had reached the shore. Jets of sunlight stretched across the sky, taunting my eyes with its beauty. Sitting on the sand in silence, I detected a presence that I had not felt in years.

"Beautiful," he said. "And I don't mean the twilight."

"Takashi."

"Oh, must you be so formal? You could at least use my first name, Himeko."

"_Do not call me that._"

"Why not? It **is** your name. Nayotake Himeko."

"Shut your mouth, Takashi." I still had not turned to look at him.

"Say my name, then. I said yours. Say my name, or else I will shout your name so that the fish in the sea may hear."

"No."

"Okay then." He took a deep breath. "N-"

"Do what you will."

"You don't care?"

"No."

"Hmph." I stood up and slowly pivoted to see the man I spoke with.

If I had not hated him, I would probably have had an infatuation with him. His eyes were the color of the deepest seas, and his dark, mussed hair surrounded his face like the most perfect frame for the most perfect work of art. His face could only be found on beautiful canvas, painted with the most careful hands. His body flowed poetically, like the wind could wrap him up and take him to the stars. A part of my childhood self still wanted to marry him, but my current self would never see past the bitter hate. Which was a good thing.

"Still feisty. I love that."

"You're an asshole."

"Ouch. And I can tell you mean it. Your eyes are red."

"Since when do you come down from your almost-throne and grace Ningenkai with your presence?"

"Hmph. I... was speaking with someone. You know how funny it is when two people who normally would never talk suddenly have their goals aligned in a similar way?"

"No. Normal people don't have my goals. I wouldn't know the feeling."

"Well, usually I don't fraternize with humans, but I found one that I can use for my plans."

"Plans?"

"I've always wanted to have you as my bride."

"Excuse me while I throw up."

"So sardonic. You didn't think that way when you were a little girl. Still, though, in so many ways you are still a little girl. And I am still your older cousin, guiding you so you will learn the lessons of life."

"Guiding me?"

"I suggested that the Queen have Koenma send you and your little friends to this miserable island. You've several years until you've got to give up your little life. Why not spice up that monotonous, dreary life with a bit of a bloodbath? I understand you've taken quite a liking to Team Urameshi."

"They're interesting." He acted as though I wasn't there. I was getting tired of his little monologue.

"Remember when you were Queen of Ganderra? One of the Three Kings? You didn't act like a queen. However, that's beside the point. Who dethroned you? I should really like to know who defeated you. I mean, it's you."

"That's really none of your business, Takashi."

"Anyway, that doesn't matter. You and I will marry, my dove." If there was one thing I hated more than him, it was his obsession with me. I could not make a move without him seeing. I bared my fangs and put up my fists.

"You just drone on and on," I growled.

"If you even think about striking, I'll-"

"You'll what? Kill me?"

"Heheheh, you know I could."

"Not even in your dreams," I snarled, closing my eyes and inhaling. I could smell his blood rushing from his digestive tract to his heart. I could smell the adrenaline flowing into his veins like a drug as I heard him wield his scythe. Then he put it back.

"No," said Takashi. "I want to wait until your friends meet my friends. And then you and I shall meet and do battle on a grand stage. Winner takes all. If I win, I will have you as my own."

"If I win, I'll slit you from navel to neck. And you will feel every single thing. I'll take your throat so you can't scream, only watch in horror as your blood pools around you. And your heart will still be beating, because we both know the only thing that kills a Welkin is decapitation- and, maybe, my poison. But I won't bite you then. I'll pull your heart from the vena cava and the aortic arch, and I'll take your heart as mine. I'll eat it first." I quieted. He blinked and began to laugh.

"Baby, if only you knew. My heart, you've already got it." Takashi continued laughing as he faded away. Soon, all that was left was his voice. "See you, Himeko."

"I really, really hate that name." I returned to the Hotel Kubikukuri, feeling more burdened than when I had left.


	3. Complicated and Stupid

A/N: Alright. The reason I haven't been updating this is because my computer died, and I was watching Yu Yu Hakusho while typing this. And because I'm lazy.

I don't know if this counts as Youko being OOC because you guys don't know the whole past story. But it's kinda different from regular Youko.

I think Sakyo's a straight up G.

**

* * *

**

Inevitable

Chapter Three

_**Present Day**_

"Aren't you going to knock first?" I asked Naomi. She was about to kick down Team Urameshi's door.

"Oh yeah." Naomi looked down at her full hands then looked up. "Um. Ruruna-chan? Can you knock?"

"Yes." I tapped the doorknocker three times; Kuwabara answered.

"Oh, hey! Whatcha got there, Naomi-san?"

"Uno cards. AND A KARAOKE MACHINE!" She had flown all the way back to the mainland to buy one. I thought Micherure's eyes would permanently stick to the back of her head if she kept rolling her eyes every single time Naomi yelled blissfully about Ningenkai's many wonders.

"Awesome! I'm sick of this five-card draw. I keep losing. C'mon in. We're all here."

"PARTY, PARTY!" Naomi squealed.

"Kami, will you please just curb the happy..." Micherure was still pissed off about Takashi's presence on Hanging Neck Island.

"Fun sucker!" Naomi stuck out her tongue as she set up the karaoke machine.

"Where's Yusuke?" I asked.

"Still out with the Masked Fighter," Botan answered.

"I brought food." Micherure set down a brown paper bag with chips and cookies inside.

"Great! I am so hungry!" Kuwabara paused. "Oh, Yukina-chan, my love, would you like some food?"

"Oh, yes please, Kazuma." The five-card draw game dissolved, and everyone began chatting while Naomi set up the next activity.

"Get rid of your plant infestation, Kurama-sama?" I asked.

"Yes, thank you for asking."

"Um, I don't think we've met. I'm Keiko." A brown-haired girl smiled at me, holding Yusuke's spirit beast.

"Ruruna. And my hyper friend is Naomi. My gloomy friend is Micherure." She nodded.

"Er, are you all demons too?"

"Yep. Came to watch the fight. I'm rooting for Yusuke's team."

"At least someone other than us wants them to win," said Shizuru. "But if he-" she pointed to her brother- "doesn't start winning more matches like the one against Risho, I'm afraid I'll disown him."

"Aw, Kuwabara'll be fine. Trust me."

"By the way, those are some pretty snazzy clothes you've got on."

"Oh?" I looked down at my rainbow star-spangled tank top and turquoise shorts. "Thanks. I like human clothes." I heard a snort from my right.

"You think that's funny?" I asked Kurama.

"No, I just- I'm not entirely sure you picked those out yourself this morning. I mean, you look like you borrowed them from her..." His eyes flashed towards the Butterfly. Naomi had on a yellow t-shirt with a giant pink smiley face with lime green pants and rainbow striped arm and leg warmers.

"Yeah, well, I think she read some magazine or something. I'm just scared of what will happen when she decides to go to school..."

"What school are you going to?"

"Ask her. I don't know. I'm going to put on the ugly uniform and go to school for one day and probably never go back again." I shrugged.

"Okay. MY NAME IS NAOMI-CHAN, AND THIS IS MY SONG!" The flamboyantly clad girl bellowed into the mike.

---

I yawned widely. For this match, I had decided to watch on the wall again. As much as the fights interested me, I couldn't help falling asleep. Naomi, the night before, had kept me up with "scary Ningenkai movies that we gotta watch before we go to Ningen school because we gotta be cool." Of course, Naomi didn't care about watching Team Urameshi and Team Uraotogi, so she was sleeping in with the other girls minus Micherure.

Yusuke still had not arrived; I had threatened Koenma to tell me why strange vibes riddled with his agony and energy were around. Koenma muttered something about Genkai's final test. And this topic was floating through my mind as Hiei fought Kuromomotaro.

I had heard bits from the grapevine about Urameshi Yusuke, specifically that his sensei was Genkai. Genkai used to be the greatest human fighter that I had ever fought. And if this was her final test for him, well that would mean Yusuke might be able to defeat Toguro. I, and of course everybody else, didn't want Yusuke and his teammates to die in the tournament.

And then I went on to wonder why I didn't want Team Urameshi's downfall like every other demon in the stadium. Well, defeat _did _mean death in the Dark Tournament. And Kurama cared about his teammates (that was evident), so why would Iwant any of Kurama's teammates to die? Wait, why would I share an affinity for anyone Kurama protected?

Great. The root of the problem, and the reason that I wouldn't leave Hanging Neck Island. Takashi thought I was here to watch matches; I wasn't. I wanted the real reason for why that Silver Bandit had left me so many years ago.

I sighed. Goal List: make sure my team doesn't die in this stupid tournament, figure out what the hell Takashi meant by his friends and my friends battling, kill Takashi, and have a nice long chat with that freaking King of Thieves. The real King of Thieves. Not this redhead.

Shouldn't be _too_ hard.

Then again, I really am not very good at gauging how my life story should go. I screw that stuff up big time. See the file labeled 'Three Kings of the Makai.'

A shrimpy little man with a fishing rod with a helluva long fishing line decided to go up against Kurama. And I realized that I was so into my thoughts that I did not see Hiei win. And while I watched this little shrimpy man fight the Prince of Bandits, I smelled something strange in the air. Kurama wasn't fighting right, as if he were having a conversation. Of course, only someone like Hiei or me would pick it up, because we were in tune and sensitive to Kurama's feelings.

Mist. And then, I felt it.

"Youko's back," I sang quietly.

"Damn right," Hiei grunted.

"Wha?" And Hiei proceeded to tell Kuwabara about Youko. About the silver-haired fox who was standing somewhere in the middle of all that fog. I'd heard it all before.

I listened to the screams of Ura Urashima, begging not to be killed. I heard the calm, steely voice of Youko, asking for the secrets of the Idunn box. Urashima was explaining when a sword went through his throat. Shishiwakamaru had decided that information was too precious. And then the mist began to clear; I walked closer to the ring.

And then I saw him. For the first time in five hundred years, I saw him. My heart began to pound. My breath grew shallow. It was only a moment, though, and then his body dissolved back into Shuichi.

---

"Shh, shh." Naomi put her hand to Micherure's mouth, begging her to be quiet. I stepped into the room.

"Hey, Ruruna. What's up?" Naomi smiled widely while Micherure fought in vain to swat the Butterfly's hands away. Finally, Naomi let go, glowering at her. They stared at each other, Micherure faltered. Naomi won. I knew because of the comment Micherure made.

"Hey. You look nice today." My eyebrows raised.

"Thanks. Have any of you seen Kurama?"

"Nope."

"Nuh-uh." Naomi put her hands out the open window, grasping the air. "But he feels to be in that direction." She pointed to the south.

"Thanks." I frowned. "Genkai has passed away."

"Yes, we know." Micherure also looked out the window. "I thought they'd be together forever, Genkai and Toguro. Such a bastard."

"I have to go," I muttered. I left the room. They could talk about me all they wanted, what they were going to say to my mother, what they were going to do about Takashi, what they were going to do about Kurama. I didn't care.

I headed south, past the demon lodgings and past the walkways. I eventually found Kurama and Kuwabara, in a clearing, and it was dark. I didn't really think about who.

"Oh, hi!" Kuwabara spotted me first. I could tell from his demeanor… He didn't know about Genkai.

"Hey." I nodded to their hands. "Whatcha got there?"

"Some special sword hilt Suzuka gave me. Kurama got some fruit juice or whatever. They're supposed to be really cool and help us win the final battle."

"That's nice."

"Yeah. I suppose I'm gonna get some grub and then find Yusuke. You guys want anything?"

"No."

"No, thank you." Kurama was staring at the glass jar in his hand.

"Alright." Kuwabara danced off with the hilt. I waited a while, watching Kurama study and think.

"You know, he will kill you if you don't use it," I said finally.

"Yes." He unscrewed the jar. "Which is why I will test it." Kurama pulled off the cap, and a strange odor emitted, like overly ripe fruit on the verge of spoiling. Maybe even durian from the Makai. My nose scrunched. Kurama looked at the liquid, then took a tentative mouthful and swallowed. I knew it was disgusting, but he downplayed it.

"What do you do now?" I asked.

"I wait." He sat down on the ground, legs crossed, eyes closed. I took my place in front of him, arm's length away. He wasn't going to ask why or even ask me to leave. He knew why I was there. "The effects are unknown. I don't know how long it'll be."

"Doesn't scare me." Kurama had always never explained anything to me. Truly, he never had to, because we were always on the same page or near it. Minutes passed. "Feel anything yet?"

"No." More time went by. And then, something happened. His hair started to lighten.

"Kurama," I mumbled. His eyes opened, and I watched them dissolve into a cold amber. And he was back. In the flesh. So close, yet so far away. Blood rushed to my cheeks, and I looked away.

"How many minutes was that?" Youko Kurama asked. His voice was so smooth, so quiet. I was going to absolutely melt.

"Around fifteen," I replied. "You look well for someone that's been trapped in a human's body for a good decade and a half."

"Hm." I decided to peek at him. His eyes were closed again, which made it easier. He was trying to recalibrate the forces in his body. I took him in. Perfection. Still. Still at the height of perfection. And then, as my eyes traveled from his clavicle to his chin, I noticed.

"What's this?" Without thinking, I stretched my arm out and touched his neck. The mark. Oh, the mark. I didn't know what was elevating faster, my anger or my sadness.

"The mark," he replied. "Don't tell me you've never seen it on someone." I traced the piece of raised skin.

"Who?" I demanded. His eyes snapped open.

"Why do you care?"

"Because you stayed in my home a year, trying to rob me, and the only thing you made off with was my heart. You gave me no explanation. You owe me the right to know who this person is."

"I owe you nothing."

"Oh, really." I folded my arms. Anger, yes, the anger now prevailed.

"Because I gave you my heart in return." That cut me like a knife. Excuse me?

"Wh-what?"

"His name was Kuronue."

"The Bat Demon Thief?" He nodded.

"He was my partner in crime. And before you ask, I let him mark me because I remembered what happened with you. How I was… afraid," he stumbled over the word, "afraid, and how I wasn't going to let my fear dominate."

"How nice." I cleared my throat. "What happened to him?"

"He…" His eyes clouded, widened, and his ears flattened. "He… he sacrificed his life for mine. I owe him my life." I knew he wasn't going to divulge further about that bit.

"I'm sorry."

"What's done is done."

"I'm still sorry." I changed the subject. "What's it like in his body?" He shrugged. It was strange. I didn't think I was supposed to notice the differences in Shuichi and Youko. But I could.

"You know," he began, "I don't really mind. And we aren't so different, he and I. I'm not completely sure that I'm not him already, to be honest. We share the same memories, know each other's thoughts, think similarly. I'm afraid my soul has influenced him more than it should've." Was he remorseful for that?

"Mhm." I was searching his eyes. "I wish I could find another way to liberate you."

"No, you don't. Believe me. You want us both." Right.

"How long do you think this lasts?"

"Not very long." He took my hand.

"I guess it's not you, then, that wants to know what I am."

"It's intriguing, but no, most of the curiosity is coming from Shuichi. Though I can't say I'm not also interested." He sighed. "Your eyes betray you so."

"Are they blue?"

"Yes."

"Damn all emotions."

"Damn them all to Hell." He exhaled heavily. And we continued to stare at each other's eyes. He lifted my hand to his lips. And then he changed. His eyes darkened to emerald, and his hair shortened and reddened. I wrenched my hand away, standing up.

"It works," I mumbled.

"Ruruna-dono."

"You don't have to say anything." My feet were moving on their own, backing away.

"Ru-"

"Don't _say anything_." I turned, walking swiftly away.

"Ruruna!" I didn't turn back around. I don't know why.

-

I didn't know where I was going, or even what I was going to do when I got there. I'd never been so indecisive before. Did I want to curl up in a ball and cry? Or did I want to beat the crap out of someone? Did I want to go back and talk to someone? Or did I want to turn on some music and dance?

Although, I did know that I wasn't going toward someone. No one would understand. Micherure didn't believe in love. Naomi was too in love. I myself wasn't too sure about love. I ended up on the roof of the Kubikukuri Hotel, looking out at the island. And then I decided what I wanted to do. I started to think.

My eyes had always changed with my emotions. It was just something I was born with. My mother didn't know what it was, and she hated it so much that she made me wear brown contacts around her. It was probably because my normal eyes were green, just like my father's. But I always tried to keep them green, to keep my face devoid of emotion. Because I wanted my mother to suffer. And so that's what I tried to do then, on that rooftop. Sort out the feelings into boxes, to make a list of things. And then I was fine.

I like to live life in the fast lane, which contradicts my desire to have my eyes be green all the time. Fast lane meant emotions up and down, the thrill of the kill, the craving to always be the victor. The scenic route, on the other hand, involved keeping my mouth shut and feeling like a caged bird, sighing all the time and living in shades of blue.

You know, the landscape blurs when you move fast. The colors mix and the sounds harmonize and the smells mingle and the air tastes just right and the rush on your skin feels like heaven. And to me, that blur in itself is more beautiful than all the sights in the world.

_**

* * *

**_

--Almost Four Thousand Years Ago--

"Don't look at me like that, Himeko, with those big bug eyes." My mother looked at me with disgust. "You and Takashi will make a good match."

"So. Must I stay here until you die?" I looked out of the big, glass window, staring at the vista that I knew so well. "Until I die?"

"Be content. Takashi will love you. You will stay encased in a beautiful teenaged body for the rest of your life. Only thing to weep over is your blood in your veins, the demon energy radiating off you."

"Is that so bad, what I am? I think it makes life a bit more interesting."

"Our lives aren't meant to be interesting."

"Then our lives are pointless." I tapped on the glass if I tapped a little harder, maybe it'd break. I was already physically strong enough to break cups if I wasn't too careful.

"Our lives have more meaning than those stupid humans and demons you watch so much."

"Do you hate me because I'm a demon or because I look like my father?" I didn't let her answer. "I'm leaving. You can't stop me."

"When? Tomorrow's your peak day." I frowned. Peak day. My favorite time of the month, yet not. The day when the demon inside of me took hold, the day when Mother had to clap chains on me and throw away the key. It happened every month on the number day of my birth. When I was born, someone unchained Micherure, and she found me first. Even thousands of years later, I still bore the scars on my stomach of being bitten. I never exposed my stomach. The scars of my birth were jarred and ugly compared to the beautiful, intricate inked lines on my back and shoulders.

"Doesn't matter," I replied to my mother. "I will find a way to leave."

And that was the day I fell to the Makai. Of course, I didn't fall. I descended. That was also the day I made a name for myself- Ruthless Ruruna- by having a peak day in the Makai. My mother sent Micherure and Naomi after me. In short, Mother took advantage of the situation and let me stay in the Makai, but Merciless Micherure and Portentous Papillon had to always follow me.

* * *

--**_Present Day--_**

I was watching in the stands. The last fight. They'd just walked in and settled the four-on-four dispute. I about laughed when I saw Koenma in there.

"Oh, it's about to start!" I pulled my giant, red headphones off my ears, clearing my throat.

"KICK HIS ASS, KURAMA!" I knew he couldn't hear me. Micherure tapped my knee. That was her way. She knew some of what was going on.

"I saw your wings last night," she whispered, low so that only our feline ears could hear. She didn't say anything more. My wings? My wings. I painted an image of myself in my head, my wings stretched out and my hair in the wind. I must have looked either sorrowful or perilous.

I narrowed my eyes as Karasu blasted Kurama's petals to bits.

"Uh, Ruruna-chan, I can't see." I turned around, seeing Keiko behind me.

"Oh, sorry. I'm gonna get closer." Instead of taking a seat at a lower bleacher, I decided to go out onto the field to watch as Yusuke yelled for Kurama to take care. Youko needed to come back, plain and simple. No amount of cheering was going to make Shuichi win this fight.

Karasu hurtled a bomb at the redheaded boy, causing an explosion with a shockwave that rocked the stadium. Initially, debris caused the dusty air, but then it turned to fog. And the silver-haired kitsune was back. The fight instantly turned.

"YES, YES!" I cheered. Kurama'd summoned a plant to get rid of those clingy Trace Eyes Bombs. Karasu raced about the ring, trying not to get chomped by one of the giant botanical mouths. Finally, he was caught, but I sensed his energy signature hadn't yet departed. Karasu destroyed the plant and rose again. This time, he himself was the bomb.

"Uh oh."

The blast decimated a quarter of the ring, the quarter that I'd been on. Luckily, instinct had taken over and I only got a scratch. Kurama, however, was much worse. I didn't realize how weak he was until this fight. He was very, very vulnerable. Youko was gone, and Shuichi was back.

"DAMMIT!"

"KURAMA!"

"HOLD ON, MAN!" And Kurama started acting rash, running at Karasu. As the announcer-girl reported, his assault was completely useless. I sighed, wondering how in the world the invincible Youko Kurama was going to get out of this. I knew he had a plan. But then the thought crossed my mind that maybe the invincible kitsune wasn't invincible. I defenestrated that thought and focused on his plan, reading his body language.

"Hey!! Ruruna-sama, you okay?" I hadn't noticed that Koenma was staring at me. Actually, I hadn't noticed that I was standing next to him. "You're close to tears, and your eyes are bright orange."

"I'm fine." I sighed. I'd been crying too much. I slapped my face. The pain prickled my skin and I mellowed out. "I'm fine."

But as soon as I said that, Kurama's leg was half blown off. I had to bite my lip and hold my breath to keep myself from screaming out.

"DON'T MOVE ANOTHER INCH, KURAMA! YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY BOMBS!" The bombs began to break him apart, and then I really did start to worry. I flipped over what options Kurama had. And then I remembered his little rash stunt. I locked my brain in on the fact that he had a plan. But then he screamed over and over and over and there was panic in everyone's faces. But he had a plan. But he was in pain. I gritted my teeth and kept watching. The count started.

"GET UP, KURAMA!" I yelled. "GET THE HELL UP YOU BASTARD!" He slowly pulled himself up, and his eyes turned deadly. He was wreathed in light, and a plant was called forth. It began to suck the life out of Karasu. And then Karasu was gone.

"HIS LIFE!" Everyone focused on Kurama.

"IT'S FADING!"

"The hell it is," I muttered, inching closer to the ring. I saw him twitch, and I let out a long sigh. He pulled himself to his feet, and Koto declared him the winner. Yusuke ran in to have some words with Kurama and to get him the hell out that ring. I wondered why Juri wasn't saying anything. And then I realized.

"And the official announcement says the winner of the match is Karasu!"

"That's why this shit should be to the death," I grumbled. "None of these damn rules." Yusuke went off on the "fish girl," and we all got an instant replay of Kurama's misery.

"That was retarded." Hiei nodded in agreement.

The tournament moved onward.

---

"All of you, stick behind me." Koenma made a shield for Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama, encasing them in his power. Younger Toguro was powering up, and he was definitely serious. I watched intently. His physical power was making the hairs on my neck prickle. But I didn't think it was from him, actually. Just the fact that he was fighting Yusuke.

"Don't you feel that power, Ruruna?" Koenma asked. He was standing next to me again.

"You underestimate me, Koenma. I do feel it. But I also feel that it wouldn't kill me."

"You're close to your inheritance from your mother, aren't you?"

"A little over three years," I replied, "until I get my inheritance, yes."

I was entranced with the battle between Yusuke and Toguro. Nothing deterred me from watching. And when I saw Yusuke take off his spirit cuffs and the phoenix released itself, I decided that Yusuke and I could spar one day. Not now, but one day. Yusuke began pummeling Toguro.

"_Hells_ yes."

The fight got better.

Nothing's ever what it seems. I knew Toguro wasn't at his full power. And I knew Yusuke wasn't either. I could talk for a good month about them. What I saw, what I wanted, how that fight made me feel. _I wanted a fight too. I wanted some adventure. _

But this isn't about Yusuke. He's got his own story and he, no doubt, is telling it.

He won his match.

"Let's get _out of here_." The stadium was rocking, shuddering. It was going to fall. "We have to get the others!" I ran in the direction that I knew was out.

---

Back at the hotel, I was searching for a specific pair of shoes. Then I remembered that they were in Yusuke's room, from that night we all played games. I went in, and everyone was somber. Genkai. I guess they were right in the middle of a conversation.

"We just gotta let her go," Kuwabara mumbled. I held my tongue and didn't ask if they'd seen Naomi's lime green and orange rainboots.

"FINE! You heard fox boy- there's nothin' we can do for the old hag if she's already limp, so we just gotta keep on truckin', yes sir. I'm gonna go outside and make myself a nice big, shiny, first place medal, sit in the sun, and have a stupendous friggin' day, DAMMIT!" And slamming the door behind him, Yusuke left without even looking at me. I glanced at everyone's faces, frowning.

"Ah, um. Did Naomi leave some boots in here?"

"Yes." Kurama stepped over to the side of the couch and pulled up the ridiculous foot apparel. "Oh, good. Thanks." I snatched them up and quickly left.

-

"We're not late for the boat, are we?" Naomi asked.

"You idiot, they're still here, aren't they?" Micherure bickered.

"We're about to leave." Botan pointed out a doorway. We all walked out.

"Are you okay?" Yusuke asked me. "You seem like you're on edge."

"I'm waiting for someone to show up." I sighed. "But I don't think he's coming."

"Should we wait with you for him?" Kuwabara wondered.

"No." I looked around. "I don't want him to find me-"

"GENKAI!" A reunion. I knew she would come back. I didn't think she was dead.

"C'MERE YOU GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL HAG!"

I smiled, watching them take turns to hug her. Even Hiei joined the group and stood by. And then I felt his hand on mine.

"Oh, darlin' don't worry, I'm here." I swiftly pulled my arm away and turned around. I didn't see anyone. Micherure didn't even move or look at me. Naomi was putting flowers around Genkai's neck.

"You think I'd be visible for everyone to see? C'mon, babe." My eyes searched the area, and I backed away. I felt Takashi's energy signature in front of me. "Quit being so tense. I'm only here to see if you made it out okay."

"Leave me alone."

"Oh, dove, I can't do that."

"How long have you been following me?"

"I haven't been doing it all the time… But for sporadic intervals, yes. You and the redhead have quite a bit of history." That was private. I didn't want anyone to see that.

"Damn you."

"But our history runs deeper, darlin'."

"Get _away_ from her." Micherure finally caught on that I was having a silent conversation with a person under an invisibility guise.

"Aw, your little guard can sense me."

"You little dick, don't think I won't kill you." Micherure gripped her zweihänder, ready to slaughter his unseen body.

"Psh. I have power you can only dream of." Takashi showed himself, and then everyone else noticed he was there. They put themselves in battle stances. "Stay back, bitches. This is between me and my woman."

"I'm not your woman."

"You were promised to me from the day you were born, Himeko. Don't you even deny it." He stepped closer.

"If you touch her, I'll take your hand and eat it." Micherure growled and hissed at him.

"Hmph." He stayed himself. "Don't worry. I'll always love you, babe. In a couple years, you're all mine." Takashi launched himself back into the air, hovered for a moment. His wings outstretched, forming a big shadow over the land. Then Takashi flew up and up and never came back down.

"Was that who you were waiting for?" Yusuke asked. "Old boyfriend?"

"Cousin," I corrected. "We're supposed to get married at my mother's request."

"You weren't lying when you said your mom was a queen, then, huh?"

"No, Yusuke, I wasn't."

"Hm." No one asked. I didn't want them to.

We boarded the boat quietly. Everyone was just pleased to be going home, doing something normal for a change. Naomi was gushing about living with humans. With my headphones on, I stared at the water at the back of the boat, watching the frothy part that the turbine made in the waves.

"Ruruna-dono?" I turned to look behind me.

"Kurama-sama."

"Naomi told me the name of your school. It's mine. Meiou."

"That's fortunate. At least we'll know someone." Silence. I was going to tell him how inane his coat was, that it was seventy degrees and he didn't need to be wearing a full-length coat. But he held out his hand, and strangely, I took it.

"I know I'm not Youko Kurama anymore, and I don't know if I can ever be him again." I understood.

"I'm not the same person from hundreds of years ago either."

"I'm willing to… to try this." He didn't mean 'try being Youko again,' no that's not what he meant. "And I know that it'll be easier for me than you because I don't feel parted from Youko, from a psychological aspect, at least."

"We'll have to go very, very slow."

"I'm a very patient person." So was I.

"Just to warn you, I'm a bitch who swears, wears clothes with not enough coverage, and thinks you're weak as hell."

"I'm taciturn and analytical and effeminate and a momma's boy."

"And you've got poor taste in clothes." He smiled.

"That too."

"But I'm willing to try," I assured him. We stood there, staring at each other, until someone called us over to eat.

I was willing to try.

I'd come to Hanging Neck Island because I'd recieved a summons from Koenma. I'd stayed because I saw Kurama and wanted to know why he left me. And now I'd gotten my answer from him, but I couldn't leave him. No. I could not.


	4. What if you peaked early?

A/N:

To D101: I guess it seems like the story's over because the story's moving into another phase, like the sagas in YYH. But the story's not going to be truly over until way past the Saga of the Three Kings.

To Evil Bunny of Death: Ruruna's an odd person. I've got a thing for people not being what they seem to be. But keep in mind that Takashi's her cousin, and there's a clue in where she hinted her location was when she was talking to her mother.

**

* * *

**

Inevitable

Chapter Four

_**Present Day**_

It was the day after we arrived back from the tournament, and I was sitting silently in my bedroom of our new place. The apartment that Naomi picked out was three blocks away from the school.

"The school was really pleased with our tests."

"That's nice." I wasn't going to tell her that I didn't care. Naomi was putting locks on all of my closet doors.

"Are you gonna want to use the toilet?" I rolled my eyes.

"No, Naomi." She locked the door to my private bath. "Where's Micherure?"

"Reikai." Koenma wouldn't let Micherure turn primeval in an apartment complex. She was closer to feral instinct than I was.

"Oh."

"Okay. Everything's locked away. What food do you want me to bring?"

"Don't care."

"Alright. I'll go out to that farmer's market and get a couple pounds of that cow I saw."

"You should really just bring back a live cow."

"Uh. On the stairs? How about you wait until tomorrow and then come out and I can make something?"

"Sure, whatever."

"Okay. The basin of water's over there. The blinds are closed. Closets are locked. No sharp objects, no mirrors, no lamps. Everything's childproofed." Naomi flipped her fuchsia hair and checked her watch. "Thirty minutes to peak."

My entire room was blank. I had no bed, no shelves, no desk. All of it was gone in the closets. White walls and concrete floors. Naomi had picked this apartment for several reasons. Only three other people lived in the complex, and they were all sketchy people. The place was concrete, and I couldn't destroy any of it. And it was close to everything- malls, markets, school, the park. The door to my room, strangely enough, was steel. As if that could hold me back.

My pulse quickened, which it always did on peak day. My normal heartbeat was very, very slow, like a demon's should be. My blazing skin dripped with sweat, dampening my bra and underwear. My senses were sharpening. I could hear the cars pass by with people talking on their phones in them. I could smell that hotdog vendor from down the street. I could see the grains of the concrete in the darkness. My want for blood was taking over.

"If you need anything, call. And when you're back to your regular state, knock on the door in the pattern, and I'll let you out."

"I will." I gulped. My tongue was swelling with thirst. Swallowing was becoming hard, and a train wreck tormented my brain. "Oh, Kami." Without another word, Naomi left and bolted the door behind her.

Blood rushed to my head as I walked to the window. The blinds were drawn- Naomi had bought the windows with the blinds inside- but I could see little bits of light. And with these lights, I could see my reflection in the glass. I was panting, pale, and black stripes were appearing on my skin.

With every beat of my heart, the poison blood hit my brain, making me wince. It was like a migraine. It would throb and throb with the rhythm of my heart. I lay down. If I was very still, I wouldn't feel the pain of transforming. Right. Dull, slow, agonizing. Thump. Thump. Thump. The poison ignited, and instinct overtook me.

"RAHHHHHHH!" I grasped for something that wasn't there. My eyes grew wider, my skin sprouted fur. My muscles increased, and I was on all fours. And then I wanted blood. Flesh. Meat. That's all I could remember.

That's all I could _ever_ remember.

* * *

--_**Five Hundred Years Ago—**_

"These scars," Youko Kurama mused, cradling me in his arms. He rubbed my stomach, tracing the jagged, ripped lines on my torso.

"Those scars." I sighed. "You shouldn't look at them."

"Why not? They are ironically poetic."

"I hate them."

"Care to explain why?"

"It is pretty asinine. It represents the demon part of me that my mother abhors. And a part of me still wants to please my mother because in some ways, I am still a little girl who wants her mother to be proud of her."

"Hmph. Mothers are overrated." He rolled over onto his back. "My mother abandoned me because I was a boy."

"Not many sliver kitsunes are male."

"If mothers do what they are supposed to, that should not make a difference."

"True." I'd angered him. Or at least annoyed him. He sighed heavily through his nostrils and rose from the bed. I quickly became cold.

* * *

--_**Present Day—**_

"I look dumb, Naomi-chan."

"You look human."

"I just said that. I look dumb."

"Oh please." We stood in the mirror, looking at ourselves in our new school uniforms. I was right about them being ugly.

"Stop trying to fix my hair. It's fine."

"Ruru_na_," she whined. "Please let me."

"Fine." She brushed it and sprayed fragrance in it.

"It's vanilla. It shouldn't bother you too much."

"What's for lunch?"

"Thinking about food? We just ate breakfast." Naturally, Naomi and I had very different eating habits. She was vegetarian, not because of her love for animals, but because she'd get sick. Everything I ate had to have some portion of meat to satisfy the carnivore in me. But we both loved human food. This week, we'd discovered the wonders of popcorn.

"I mean, I've never eaten on a schedule, so I just wanted to know. Something to look forward to in this monotonous day."

"A cheesesteak for you and a fabulous salad for me." She started talking about bento boxes, and did not stop until we were in the street.

"You two look disgustingly human." Micherure was leaning up against a wall. "Human teens." Micherure let that comment go.

"I see you're wearing ningen clothes."

"I had to."

"Oh."

"I'm supposed to accompany you two to the front gates and then wait until you get out." Micherure folded her arms.

"I miss Jin."

"That was _the_ most random comment."

"You didn't even talk to him the whole time we were there!"

"Yuh-huh! He asked me to borrow a napkin." Micherure stared at the Butterfly, disgusted. "I said he could."

"You're dumb."

"Naomi, get down."

"Get down what?" She asked. "This is not boogie time."

"You've been floating this entire time. Get _down_," I hoarsely whispered. "Before somebody sees you."

"Oh. Oh yeah." She put her feet down, and grass with tiny wildflowers started to grow on the concrete.

"Put those plants away," Micherure hissed. "We're in the middle of the city and your skin is growing weeds!"

"Nyah, nyeh, nyah," Naomi mocked. She rubbed the bottoms of her feet with her fingers and the flowers stopped sprouting.

---

"Is this supposed to be hard?" I read the note that Naomi just wrote to me. We were playing a game in our own way. She wrote something in one language, I replied in another. We were trying to stump each other.

"I don't know, but it's crazy easy." I flicked the note back. We were learning world history. History seemed so much more interesting when you were watching it for real. And some of this was just lies. Pretty soon, Naomi and I were making puns with languages. And making fun of the people in class.

"Nayotake-san, Kobayashi-san." She and I, wide-eyed, looked up.

"Yes, Kiritani-sensei?" We asked.

"I know you two are new, but could you please pay attention? You both have a lot of catching up to do. Minamino-san has been out for two weeks and you don't see him wasting time." I looked behind me. Kurama stared at me with his green eyes, acting innocent. I cut him a look and returned to facing the front.

"Yes, sensei."

-

"Kobayashi-san, you two are cousins, right?" A girl asked us. We were in gym class, stretching. My eyes were scanning the field for a particular person.

"Yes." Naomi smiled.

"You guys are like ripped," she continued, and she and the other girls began walking with us. "What did you do in Europe again?"

"Various sports, you know. I did some dance too. But Arisa-chan boxed." Naomi had written a small booklet of our fake lives and memorized it. She wanted everything to be seamless; I thought she got a kick out of such a quixotic story.

"Wow, Nayotake-san, you box?!" The girls turned to me.

"I did," I said vaguely. Naomi started rambling about my martial arts training. Martial arts training that I didn't know I had. I started jogging. "I'll be back!"

"Okay." Across the field, Kurama was sprinting. I caught up to him quickly, and we ran side-by-side.

"Hi."

"Hello, Nayotake-san."

"You're really going to call me that?"

"What should I call you?"

"I don't know. Never mind."

"I heard Naomi explain your muscles." He chuckled. "All the things you've accomplished- I don't think she knows you're supposed to be only fifteen."

"Yeah, I can't wait until someone catches a glimpse of the markings on my back. Naomi's pretending they're tribal tattoos from Oceania or something."

"It's harder for you to be human than me."

"Well, I've only got two bodies, and one of them's a raging monster."

"True."

"One day we've gotta race, Shuichi."

"Do you like running?"

"I like running to a place. I don't like this running in circles crap." I looked around the track. Everything repeated. "Running always needs some motivation."

"Hmm."

"Social life is interesting here."

"Most definitely."

"Naomi's having lots and lots and lots of fun."

"I see." He motioned to the tiny crowd jogging alongside the Butterfly.

"She got in trouble for her hair color. Principal didn't believe her when she said it was her own."

"I got called in once for that."

"You did? Hm." I was trying to keep talking. It got awkward if I didn't. But we lapsed into silence anyway, our breaths and steps filling the space of words. We went back inside the gym to change.

"Ruruna-dono?" My head jerked from the water fountain to look at him. I wiped the excess water from my lips, smearing the beads of sweat at my hairline in the process.

"Hmm?"

"What would you say to lunch on Sunday?"

"Sure."

"I have your address. I'll come and get you around noon. Is that okay?"

"Yes." No. I sleep until one in the afternoon, normally. But for you, oh yes. I was trying. I really was. Just having lunch was fine, right? "Okay, well, I'm gonna go change now."

"Good-bye, then."

"See you."

It was Monday. A week until our first, official "date" together.

---

Three days into this school business, and I still couldn't understand why everyone went.

Anatomy and biology class was a joke. Honestly. I eat animals. I _know_ how they work. "Kobayashi-san" got caught off-task again (she was sketching clothing ideas), and the instructor, to punish her I suppose, made her label the parts of a butterfly.

"Are you serious?" "Kobayashi Sachi" asked.

"Yes, Kobayashi-san." The instructor handed Naomi the chalk as I started sniggering. "Do you want to join her?"

"I'm cool right here, dude. I don't need your dumb chalkboard to teach me squat." A vain in the teacher's forehead popped up. He closed his eyes and started ranting.

"I don't know what they teach you over in European schools, but-" Where? Europe? I stared at Naomi. She shrugged. I guess that's what our story was. "Over here in Japan, we have respect for-"

"I'm done with the butterfly. I'm assuming you'll be alright with the _Delias eucharis_?" A sketch of a beautiful yellow and red butterfly was on the board with arrows pointing to various parts of it. She then proceeded to tell us about it. She stopped, finally, and said, "Can I go to the office?" She left without explanation. The class started buzzing, and it was time for lunch.

"What's up with your cousin, Nayotake-san?" One of my classmates came up to me. He was in debate with me.

"I don't know." I really didn't.

"Oh." He stood there, grasping for something else to say, but then left without excusing himself.

"I dunno why you go to this place," I groaned to Kurama. "It sucks major ass." He put a finger to his lips. He was reading. I rolled my eyes and pulled out my bento box.

I wouldn't know if this counted as bento, simply because Naomi only put things into the box; she didn't fashion anything into cute shapes for me. Actually, everything that was in my lunch was "the same way we eat in Europe because Arisa likes it that way."

"That looks good." Kurama glanced at it.

"D'you want some?" he shook his head.

"No, thank you, I'm fine."

"Where's your lunch?" I looked around. "A momma's boy like you- your mom's gotta make you some kind of food."

"My mother worked late last night and didn't have the time. And lunch slipped my mind this morning."

"You can have some of mine." I pulled out my other two boxes. "Naomi always makes too much because I eat like a ravenous dog. You can have this one."

"Uh, thanks." He put some of the meat into his mouth. "This is delicious."

"Naomi's great, isn't she?"

"Nayoktake-san, did you see?" One of our classmates came up to us.

"See what?"

"They posted grades!"

"Really?" Okay, and I should care why?

"You're third! Right behind Minamino-san and Kaito-san. And Kobayashi-san is fourth!"

"Oh, joy." I looked out the window. The boy frowned and went away.

"Hey!" Two girls looked pointedly at Kurama. "Great job on that test!"

"You got first place again." Kurama didn't look up. Still reading. "Pretty exciting, isn't it?" I about laughed.

"Yes, it seems fortune has been my friend." I stared at the desk, trying very hard to hold in my laughter.

"Jeez, Shuichi-san, you don't have to be so modest! I bet you're embarrassed about it!" I glanced up at the two friends, trying to see if they were serious. But then I saw something on one of their shoulders.

"You know me well!" Kurama grinned, finally looking at them. And he saw what I had. He created a diversion and swiped the insect from the girl's shoulder. I would've given a great guffaw once the girls left giggling like namby-pambies, but I wanted to see what Kurama held. He opened his hand.

"That species…"

"Yes," he said, "Distant cousin of the ones the Saint Beasts had."

"Who?"

"I'll tell you sometime."

"Good thing you took it off her before it took effect."

"Yes. This does not bode well."

We both looked out the window.

-

Naomi never came back to class. It was after school, and I'd just finished in the gym practicing volleyball.

"Excuse me."

"Yes?"

"My name is Kaito Yu."

"Oh, hi. Nayotake Arisa." I cradled the volleyball in my hands.

"Good job on that test," he said casually. "The English one." That test was the only one I'd beaten Kurama at so far.

"Thanks."

"Where'd you learn to speak English so well?"

"England."

"Oh." This was half-true, I guess.

"Well, I have to go," I said. "Nice meeting you." I went into the locker room and packed my things up. Naomi was in there as well.

"Naomi-chan!"

"Hey!" She waved. "I switched schools!"

"You did what?"

"I'm going to a prep school up in Tokyo now. With any luck, I'll be in University by the end of two months!" I didn't want to know how she'd accomplished that.

"You're leaving me here _all alone_?"

"Oh, psh, you've got Kurama."

"Who will I goof off in class with?"

"I dunno. I just know that I'm too old to be in this school."

"Oh, Naomiiii," I whined. I sighed, realized I was being selfish. "Well, have fun in prep school."

"I will! Hopefully. Alright. I have to go."

"Okay. Bye!" She left, and I decided to take a shower.

About an hour later, I was roaming the school, looking for Kurama. I found him and stood in the doorway as he talked to a couple of our classmates.

"As exciting as a biology meet sounds, I'm afraid my weekends are booked."

"But Kurama, you're amazing! And the girls love you!" I thought of the earlier incident. I chuckled and walked inside, closing the door behind me. I stood in the corner.

"I'm sorry, but I can't."

"No, you can't leave now! YOU WILL FACE OUR WRATH!"

"Nerd violence…" Kurama muttered. And I heard a shout coming from outside.

"KURAMA! OH KURAMA!" Kuwabara, definitely. I knew that voice anywhere. Kuwabara kicked down the door, almost killing the nerd who really wanted Kurama in the biology meet.

"What's going on?" I asked. Kuwabara showed us the note from the three school-aged teenagers who had allegedly kidnapped Yusuke. It requested Kurama, Hiei, and Kuwabara to go to an abandoned mansion to get Yusuke back. Now all we needed was to find Hiei, and into the city we went.

"It's hard finding Hiei when he doesn't want to be found," Kurama remarked. I nodded. We were sitting in the park, waiting for Botan to come back with Reikai Tantei gadgets to find Hiei. Kuwabara was across the street, getting food from a street vendor.

"How come you didn't want to do the biology meet? You and biology are like peanut butter and jelly. Because apparently those two go together quite well."

"My weekends are booked."

"Oh really?" He nodded. I smiled and sighed. "Is Kuwabara really going to eat three hot dogs?" I watched him jog back over to us.

"Probably. Oh look, Botan."

After going through various gadgets, Botan brought out a whistle that would make a sound that only demons could hear. With any luck, Hiei would come toward it.

"Cover your ears! This could really hurt!" I clutched my hands over my ears. Botan whistled.

"_Shit_." I squished my hands harder. I could feel my brain rattle in my head with the pain of the sound.

"The sound's penetrating my brain," muttered Kurama. That was putting it lightly. I shook the noise out of my head, and we waited for Hiei. He came, and once he was convinced that he should go, we made our way to the mansion.


End file.
